I know the AF of the 5D3 blows these out of the water but was there a big difference in AI Servo mode from the 5D to the 5D2? I had a discussion with my brother about this and he didn't think there was. I haven't played with AI Servo much but the times that I did, I thought the results weren't bad. To clarify, we are talking about optimal center point focus in AI Servo mode, with or without the extra center focus points option turned on.
Very little real world difference despite some mention of tweaks and improvements for mk II. Both overall average performers in servo once the subjects moved reasonably fast or erratically.
AI Servo works well with oncoming objects as long as the veocity of the approaching object does not exceed 180mph...somewhat less effective if an extender is used...center point only of course...
Jefferson wrote:
AI Servo works well with oncoming objects as long as the veocity of the approaching object does not exceed 180mph...somewhat less effective if an extender is used...center point only of course...
Thanks for sharing. Your findings are similar to mine since the dog wasn't running anywhere close to 180mph.
Pixel Perfect wrote:
Very little real world difference despite some mention of tweaks and improvements for mk II. Both overall average performers in servo once the subjects moved reasonably fast or erratically.
Can you elaborate on what improvements were there for the mk II? It's been a while and I forgot.
Haha, the improvements were minor and I suspect mere tweaks to the AF algorithms and processor. Same old AF array. I didn't notice much difference in AI servo but I'm not a servo freakette. On the other hand, the outer AF points worked a wee bit better for me in one shot, especially when using my 50 1.2L. Basically the outer pts hardly worked at all with that lens even in moderately good light (worked fine with my slow zooms). With the 5D2 the outer pts work fairly well with my 50 1.2L save for low light.
In many action pictures, both are not up to the level of 1 series cameras. In many relatively slow pictures in AI servo, with additional center points activated, both can be surprisingly good.
The AF hardware module is the same. The 5DII has a significantly faster processor.
Here is one rare situation, where that processor difference is evident:
I was shooting in AI servo of flight (hovering) pictures of hummingbirds with extremely tight framing (300f4L IS with extension tube at 4.9'). At that close distance the slightest mis-focus is evident.
I pre-focused the lens, and waited for the bird to pop up above the feeder and look around. In perhaps 0.8 seconds, I had to find him in the tight frame, place the focus point on his gorget, acquire focus, have the mirror flip, and get the shot, before he darted back down to feed, or to fly off.
I tried that about 30 times with a 5D1, and it missed 30 times. I gave up and went to zone focusing.
I tried the same thing with 5DII, and it nailed the focus every time. People here on this board didn't believe that, when I showed pictures here about 1.5 years ago. So I showed 4 consecutive (not cherry picked) full frame shots, and the same 4 frames at 100% crops, showing that the focus was dead on. In one of the four pictures I showed, there were TWO ants on his beak (Keep in mind he is flying, not perching on a branch). In that 100% crop you can count 10 individual ant legs on his beak (because two of the 12 legs were behind other ant legs!!!
That said, 7D and 1 series are a better choice for action pictures.
5D2 tracks pretty well unless the subject is close and then it can be fairly bad
tracks better than my 20-50D did, tracks better than 7D in many circumstances too although worse in others
1D2n tracked well, although for distant objects the 5D2 could be about the same, but closer and especially close and rapid speed or speed change 1D2n was much better
5D3 appears to track as well or better than all of them under any situation, in very limited usage so far
never used the 5D, some say the AF is the same but others say the 5D2 is a bit faster and acts like a few things have definitely been tweaked
